Ghost in the Shadows
by Libbleslie
Summary: Hyrule was thrown into chaos. The king and queen of hyrule are dead, all but few know the fate of the princess, and a new king reigns on the throne, set on destroying any traces of the gods. Now monsters slay or capture Hylians with abandon and masterless shadows move amongst Hyrules darkness, waiting for their moment to strike back


Disclaimer: I do not own the legend of zelda

* * *

She wasn't even a child of ten summers, yet here she was, pulling a dagger out of a mans throat. He'd come at her with his own blade first, though, expecting easy prey no doubt.  
But he had been wrong.

Though she'd never say it, and her face betrayed no emotion save perhaps anger, She was terrified. Everything had descended into hell and it scared her.  
She ran throughout the chaos, dodging swords from both alley and enemy, coughing on the smoke from the fires that had been set.

"Impa!" A deep, blessedly familiar voice called to her, and she ran towards it eagerly.  
She dove for the shadows to meet the tall, pale figure that was the chieftain of the Sheikah.  
Even hidden in the dark he looked worn and scraped. A gash upon his forehead trickled blood down his nose to his chin, rather making it look like the tattoo placed in the middle of his forehead was crying blood. He held a strange bundle hidden in rich white sheets with one arm as he held a finger to his lips.

She dropped to one knee, her hand going over to her heart in a familiar gesture. "Chief Hanzo." She whispered, rising.  
"It is truly good to see you are alive, Impa." He sighed. "I have a grave task for you. He bent low and shoved the bundle in her arms, and it alarmed her to find the it moved. She looked up with wide eyes as he spoke. "Take the babe and run from here. She is the last of the bloodline."  
"I don't-"  
"I said run, child! Protect her and get her to the village at any cost. I will buy you some time if I can."

He stepped into the light, kunai in hand and she understood why he was giving this task to her. It was hidden in shadows, but now that he was in the light, his side gaped open, leaving his already dark clothes soaked in blood. He would likely bleed out before he could even make it out of the castle.  
She sunk further into the shadows at the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

He mouthed out a few words before turning and hurling the Kunai. Her eyes stayed on his face as there was the sound of a body hitting the ground and angry shouting.  
"If you wish to get to the princess," He shouted. "You'll have to go through me." He hurled another dagger and sharply turned on his heels, taking off down the hall. "If you can catch me that is!"  
Her arms clutched the bundle tighter as several men tore down the hall after him.

She ran, her small feet flying as she tried to evade the fires and the swords. She was small for her age, something that irked her before, but right now she was grateful for her small stature as the worst of the smoke had risen far above her head.  
Her white hair had come loose and flew wildly about her shoulders and she went.

She'd been in the castle many times in her short years. She knew the hidden nooks and crannies of the palace perhaps even better than most of the guards. She could do it. She could get them both out. There were no room for doubts.

She scrambled under one of the large tapestries adoring the walls, fingers scrabbling for the secret niche that would open a small passage, unused by even the servants and just big enough for her to walk in a crouch. It would wind through the castle and eventually lead to the old sewers. Most escape passages led to either the newer sewers or the old sewers.  
This particular one would lead to the old sewers, which in turn, led to the church on the outskirts of the city. They would be safe there. The Sages there would hide them, would help them.

When she came upon the opening into a larger passageway she nearly squealed in surprise as something scurried past.  
Rodents didn't scare her, but her nerves were shot and it seemed like every drip from the ceiling as she descended further into the ground and further away from the castle might summon nightmares.

It was pitch black in the old sewers, any torches on the walls had long burned out, even though she'd knew they had once been enchanted. The darkness didn't scare her, despite not being able to see well.  
She would summon a light to her hand, but she dared not.  
She could see well enough to see the outline of at least a half dozen Keese roosting on the ceiling, and the last thing she needed would be Keese swooping at her and terrifying the Princess.

The cold, stagnant water soaked through her sandals and her tabi, splashing her ankles with each uneasy step. She let the darkness soothe her, forcing her eyes forward and her ears to listen to the surprisingly steady breath of the infant in her arms.

She pushed a large block of stone aside and ascended a set of stairs.

The painful fluttering of her heart didn't stop when she entered a warmer chamber with red brick walls and wooden floors and knew she had reached the end of the sewers and would s oon be upon the entrance to the sanctuary. She knew that even if the odds were low, someone might discover their passage. More rats scattered past as she rushed through the chamber.  
She swallowed hard. The next room held the switch that would let out into the church. She grabbed a tight hold of one of the switches and slowly but surely pulled it out until it clicked.

A section of wall open, reveling a large, thick slab of wood. She set the Princess down and grabbed hold of the small indents in the wood. It was heavy, but she managed to get it open enough for herself and her tiny charge to slip through. But she stopped, frozen as she recognized the sounds of monsters snarling and blades clashing.

She hurried to push it back closed, but a large hand grabbed hold of the edge and forced the passage open. "Impa! Good heavens child!" A voice cried. Her stomach jumped as she looked up at another Sheikah.

"Shaym!" Impa let loose a breath she had not realized she'd been holding. She scooped the bundle up and Shyam let pull her from the passage and pull it shut hastily.

Another Sheikah she only sort of recognized stood over the slowly vanishing corpses of a pair of Moblins. And behind her stood an old priest clutching a small boy protectively.

"Impa what happened? Where is chief Hanzo and the royal family? They should have met us by now."  
Impa shook her head rapidly. "They won't be meeting you. Chief Hanzo is… He's dead."  
Shyam grabbed her by the shoulders. "What of the royal family?"  
Impa squeezed her eyes shut, drawing a deep breath. "The King is dead."

The pressure on her shoulders was gone as Shyam stood straight, pale as the moon. "Then all is lost."  
"No I've got her hignesses." Impa offered up the bundle, pulling back the now tarnished sheet to reveal the passive, curious face of the infant princess.

The priest gasped, falling to his knees and Shyam made to take the princess.  
"No!" Impa turned away, shielding the baby. "Chief Hanzo told me to protect her before he…."  
"I understand, child. But we must get her to the others. It's not safe here anymore. A short ways from here Kaysar has a horse and a wagon hidden. We must go to him and rendezvous with the others." He turned to the other Sheikah. "Mahin, it's time to go."  
"You go. It's only a matter of time before they find this place if the rumors are true. Take the others and go. I'll draw them the wrong way."

"No," The priest stepped forward. "Please, take my grandson with you. I will stay and distract them when they come." He begged. "I am old and I cannot fight. It would be best if I stayed behind."

Shyam nodded. "If that is what you wish." He grabbed the boys hand and pulled him closer. "May the gods smile upon your sacrifice."

Mahin knelt beside Impa, holding out her arms. "Give me the princess, Impa. I know you feel it's your duty, but it is not just yours. Let me take the baby, and you help out this little boy. I know you can do it." Reluctantly, Impa passed the bundle over and settled for taking the boys hand from Shyam.

"Take this." She grabbed one of the small kunai hidden in her cloak and pressed it into the boys free hand. "Just in case, okay?" The boy nodded shakily, his knuckels white around the obsidian weapons handle.

Shyam cracked open the door and stuck out his head. "It's clear- for now. Let's move."

They ran. Shyam ran first with Mahin right behind him, clutching the baby close. Impa nipped at their heels, towing the boy with her. They darted into the tree line, silent if not for the boy, whose feet seemed to find every loose twig on the ground.

Impa stopped, bending over slightly and yanking the boys arms around her neck. "Climb on. You're too noisy."  
"But I'm as big as you are I might squish you."  
Impa huffed. "I can do it!" She said proudly. "Hurry before we get too far behind!"  
He was heavy on her back, but she trudged on as fast as she could.

She broke through the trees shortly after Shyam and Mahin. Kaysar stood talking rapidly to Shyam as Mahin climbed into the wagon. Impa dislodged the boy unceremoniously, nudging him towards the wagon. She hauled herself up over its side and into it. She grumbled as she grabbed hold of the boys hands and pulled him into the wagon to stop his struggling to get in.

Kaysar climbed atop the horse, and Shyam jumped into the wagon as Kaysar spurred the horse on.  
"Now all we have to do is survive until we reach the village." He sighed.

"We probably won't get there until late in the night." Kaysar announced. "Keep low and quiet until we pass through the field. "If monsters went after the sanctuary then there may more out there."

"I'm Impa." She whispered to the boy. "What's your name?"  
The boy looked at her shyly, clutching the handle of kunai tighter. "I'm Soren... Did you really come from the castle?"  
'Uhuh. I had to go through the sewers too." She grimaced. "My socks are still wet."

The Princess began squirming in Mahins arms, fussing.  
"I wanna hold her." Impa leaned forward in her seat. "Chief Hanzo taught me a song for the Princess."  
"Careful now," Mahin gently passed the baby into Impa's waiting arms. "Hold her head steady."  
"Okay." She looked down at the bright blue eyes that stared back up at her unhappily. She hummed slowly, noting the visible change in the infants demeanor.  
By the time she finished the melody, the princesses big eyes had long fallen shut.

"Very good, Impa." Mahin said quietly. "But then, It's to be expected. You were to be her nanny when she got older, weren't you."  
Impa looked up "Am I not gonna be anymore? 'cause of what happened?"  
"I don't know, to be honest." Mahin answered. "I'm sure you know that there's going to be a lot of changes in Hyrule now that the kings dead. Ask the Elder when we get there."

The ride was silent then for a long while until Impa dared speak again. "Shyam… Mahin… Have either of you every killed anybody?"  
"Yes of course. If the king is the judge, then we are the executioners." Shyam answered. "What has brought such a question to your head, child?"  
She looked out onto the passing scenery of Hyrule field. "I killed a man today."  
Soren at her side stiffened, but if either of the older Sheikah were shocked, they didn't show it.  
"I see." Shyam muttered. "Taken your first life at- what are you now, eight?"  
"I'm nine!"  
"Nine, eh? I don't recall you having a birthday. Nope. No way, you're father would've never allowed it."  
"Shyam! I'm serious!"  
Shyam sighed deeply. "I know you are, Impa. You are always so serious. Yes. You killed a man, must be difficult to handle at nine, but it was inevitable in the long run. Better you get used to it now, sooner than later.  
"Shyam's right." Mahin said. "It doesn't take one of the soothsayers to see that there are dark times ahead of us. As bad as it sounds killing might have to become habit."  
"…. I understand." She looked up to the looming mountain range as they neared the Eldin mountain range. "I am a Sheikah. I will do what I have to."

* * *

Kaysar had been right when he said they wouldn't get back to Kakariko until late in the night. Once they'd arrived the princess had been passed on to one of the still nursing mothers and Mahin had ushered both Impa and Soren to Impa's family house. Staying just long enough to see both children into beds before taking off into the night.

As she laid in bed, staring at the ceiling and running her fingers through her wild hair she could hear Soren through the wall, crying. She found she couldn't blame him. He was just a kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. His grandfather was likely dead, and she didn't know a thing about his parents. He was scared.  
Fear.  
It was not an emotion she had been very familiar with until today. Fear had no place in a sheikahs heart. But today, she had learned what fear felt like.  
Yet she did not cry. She felt numb. Laying there in her own bed after everything; being attacked, killing a man, seeing the chief run off to his death and trudging through the sewer... She felt numb. She didn't even know if her hair could be called white anymore after all the smoke, and blood, and grime but she felt numb. As if she was merely floating.

The thought of the chief, however, broke through the numbness. A stabbing pain in her young heart. The chief was dead now. She didn't doubt that. But now who would lead the village? Surely the elder in her old age would not be up to the task, however wise she was. Who would take his place?

She forced the thought from her head, throwing off her covers and climbing out of bed.  
She opened the door into the main room, padding through the darkness, and letting her hand slowly caress whatever it touched as she passed until she reached the door on the other end of the room. Soren had stopped his crying, and laid fitfully sleeping upon the couch.

She stared up at the door for a long moment before she dared touch the handle and went in. She shut the door quietly, locking it behind her.  
She pulled back the worn covers of her parents bed and buried herself amongst the blankets and the pillows. And she let herself wish, just for a moment, that her mother was there to stroke her hair and coo soft nothings in her ear until she fell alseep. The pain of loosing her was long gone, but it was a fantasy that often brought her comfort on nights where sleep eluded her.

But then she thought of her father, and the numbness was gone, replaced by a painful tightness in her chest. She saw his face, and could hear those three unspoken words he'd told her.  
 _I love you_

She buried her face forcefully into one of the pillows, and she let herself weep.


End file.
